Past Lives
by MinxtheGrinningVixen
Summary: Zira has survived her plummet and the raging river. She now remembers her past and decides her future. Rated T just in case. Please review!
1. Survival

Lion King: Zira

She no longer knew how many days it had been since she dragged herself on shore and began walking. The pain hadn't been so bad at first. Only a few muscles had bothered her, but now it seemed that every fiber of her being throbbed with unending pain. She wanted to stop walking, but persisted. If the vultures overhead became aware of her weakness, it would only be a matter of time until the jackals came. Or even worse, hyenas.

The hot, stiff dust-filled air choked her lungs. She needed to find shelter soon. Like all the other animals in this desert, she could feel a sandstorm coming. With great effort, she quickened her pained gait towards what appeared to be a cave. Even from a distance it gave a putrid smell; the smell of an old kill. _It is probably too rotten to eat_, she thought. _But perhaps it might attract something that wasn't_.

As she hobbled towards the cave, she began to feel the heated winds beat against her back, along with millions of grains of sand hitting her fur. She barely managed to make it to the entrance when the full brunt of the storm hit. Calling upon all her lion strength she climbed over a the boulders blocking her way into the deeper parts of the cave.

Finally, she was safe. She then saw the carcass. It seemed to be of a wildebeest and by its small size it was young. As expected, most of it was gone and the shreds of flesh that remained were rotted. She turned away in disgust, but when her stomach began to give its own roar, she staggered back towards the kill. She took away one of the legs and began to gnaw on the bone, trying to ignore the stench and vile flavor of the rancid meat that covered it. Once she ate the marrow, she pushed it away and faced the wall. She then curled into a ball; a position she had not been in since she had been a young cub.

"Oh Zira the Ruthless! Great queen of the lionesses!" She muttered sarcastically. "Where is your greatness now?"

She could just imagine what Scar would say if he could see her now. Scar… She shook her head. It would do no good to think about him now. He could not help her. No one could. Though the winds outside were muffled, their sounds were like roaring waves in her ears. She shuddered at the thought of that.

The time she had spent in the river had seemed like an eternity. She didn't know why she hadn't died. She had been waiting for the bliss of death. She had wanted to be reunited with Scar and Nuka and the rest of her countless sisters. But no it was not to be. She was a coward. She had fought for life and had struggled to the surface of the raging river, and even now she struggled to keep alive despite the predators that surrounded her each day.

Tired of thinking about the present, and just plain tired, she lowered her head on her scarred paws and tried to sleep. Instead, she began to remember what now was a past life. A life before Kovu and Vitani; before Nuka, and even before Simba.


	2. Lost Innocence

Zira had very few memories of her father, despite being a year and some old when he had died. From what she could remember, he had been a powerful and stoic being. A great lion warrior of few words but with velvet paws that never hesitated to comfort her and the rest of their pride. Perhaps that was his weakness, she thought.

They had been a small pride. Their meager territory bordered a desert and a small mountain range. The members had been castaways from larger and stronger prides. Almost every one of the lionesses had some sort of injury. That had made them lousy hunters, but ferocious and protective mothers.

Despite this, Shujaa, the pride leader and her father, had taken them all in and offered protection. Her mother, Maua, had been the first of his rescues. Born with what she called "weak blood" she had been exiled from her pride at a young age. Shujaa had taken her in and fed her. And when she was old enough, he had declared the beautiful lioness his queen. She remembered being told that the last night of her naïve life as Asali.

"_Remember Asali_," she had said after repeating the story of her rescue once again to the enthusiastic cub. "_You will always be royalty. No matter what happens, you must always remember that_."

"_I will_," she replied as she always did. She would then settle next to her mother's tan side and look up at the stars. Like many lions she had heard that the greatest kings of lion prides resided in those dark blue heavens as stars. That night she saw a new star shining especially brightly in the sky. She remembered wondering who that great king might be.

Little had she known that was to be her father.

The next day, she had awoken to utter chaos. Strange lions from the southern lands had begun their assault on small pride. The lionesses had fault valiantly, but they were easily subdued by the stronger lions. One by one they were forced into a tight circle surrounded by the foreign lioness warriors.

She remembered crying once she saw her father's face clawed by the other male lion. He was much larger than him, with golden fur and a blood-red mane. One of the stronger lionesses of the pride had tried to join in his defense but was stopped by her mother who shook her head sadly.

This was a fight of honor and strength. Any intervention would result in death. The two lions fought heatedly in harsh sunlight. The severe drought that had been plaguing the land had meant the loss of many resources, so both lions were not only fighting for territory, but for survival.

While the large lion was powerful, Shujaa was quick. Bit by bit, the larger lion began to tire, leaving him more vulnerable to attack. Shujaa gained the upper hand and was able land a few blows, but it was not for long. The golden lion rose up gave out a great roar and then struck Shujaa to the ground. As blood seeped from his tawny hide, Asali saw her mother shed a few tears.

It was then that the great lion spoke. His voice was loud and deep. It resounded like thunder during a storm. "Shujaa, you have lost this battle. Now have a choice. Will you abandon this territory and your pride, or will you die?"

The lionesses began to roar in protest but they could do nothing but watch in horror.

"Shujaa! Leave us!" One young lioness shouted. "Do not die for this!"

Maua whipped her head around and snarled, "Silence you fool! You bring him dishonor by suggesting such cowardice!"

Shujaa slowly rose up. His chin faced upward in defiance. The wind blew through his mane making it appear as a black flame. "Hamu… You have beaten my body, but not my spirit. I will not abandon my pride."

"So be it." Hamu replied emotionless. She had looked away, but still heard the crack that came from her father's neck being broken. Her mother then let out a sound that was both a wail and roar; the same sound that still haunted her dreams.

"Father…" Zira opened her eyes. She was still in the cave. And the sandstorm outside continued to blow. Her heart was racing. She could still hear the sounds of the lions fighting and the lionesses crying in devastation. She watched a cave spider crawl across the floor until she was calm enough back to sleep.

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Name Meanings (according to Google Translate):

Asali = Honey

Maua = Flower

Shujaa = Hero

Hamu = Lust (this will come in later)


	3. Arrival

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. I ****DO**** OWN **_Asali (young Zira), Hamu, Maua, Shujaa, Mwiba, and Mfuasi_

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The able-bodied had been forced to march towards the large and unusual-shaped rock in the far off distance. She had always wondered about it, but none of their lionesses would ever mention who lived there. _Another mistake_, she thought to herself. She remembered looking back at the elderly and injured lionesses left behind. Their dusty and pale furred backs surrounded the fallen body of Shujaa. They had known from the start they would be left behind and did not make a struggle.

"Don't look back Asali. We must be strong." Her mother's voice began to crack as she shed more tears. "We must remember that Shujaa would want us to be strong."

She had said nothing. She had only shed three tears for her father. Three silent tears. From that point on there was no sadness or grief; there was only hate.

"I can't believe we are taking back more mouths to feed!" One of the foreign lionesses had complained loudly.

"Honestly," Another one identical in appearance to the first had agreed. "This drought is hard on us enough without having to provide for more."

"Perhaps Hamu believes we will catch more prey with more lionesses, Mwiba." A shy younger lioness chimed in. The first one that had spoken glared at her and rolled her eyes.

"You ARE naïve, Vijana." Mwiba said with disgust. "The only reason we are doing this is to increase our territory and for our beloved leaders to increase their bloodline. Don't you agree, Mfuasi?" she asked her twin.

"It appears so," she said. "However, it seems unlikely they will choose any of THESE to have cubs with. I mean LOOK at them." Both of them did and laughed.

Asali had looked back at her pride and compared them to the foreign lions. The first thing she could see was that they were clearly thinner with patchy and uneven fur. While the new lionesses had fur like that was neatly groomed that was gold as the sun, or shone like amber. They also lacked scars and did not struggle to walk or breathe. She then realized she was feeling something she had never felt before: shame. She lowered her head and continued to trek across the barren landscape. By sundown her pride was exhausted, and their various illnesses were beginning to affect them. However, they were forced to continue or face being left behind. In their state they would be easy pickings for hungry predators. It seemed they would be shown no mercy. Except for her mother.

Maua had been struggling the entire journey, but as they neared the large monoliths - called "Pride Rock" by the new lions - she abruptly collapsed.

Asali remembered screaming at this point and pawing her mother's face. "Mother! Mother speak to me! Don't die please!" Some lionesses shushed her and told her not to make a fuss. Others just pretended not to see, but eventually the entire pack was halted as she had continued to scream for help.

The lionesses gathered around murmuring and unsure of what to do. Some lowered their heads in respect for their loved queen. Asali had nestled close to her mother's face. Maua was still breathing but kept panting heavily. Suddenly the lionesses parted as the great male lion came through towards her mother.

"What do you wish for us to do with her Hamu, sir?" Mwiba asked.

Hamu ignored her and came closer to Maua, whose breathing was becoming more uneven. Asali had been pushed out of the way by one of his massive paws. He lowered his head towards her and whispered something in her ear. He then grabbed her grabbed her gently by the scruff of her neck and placed her on his back.

Mwiba and several others looked at him in disbelief. "Sire, do you really believe that wise-"

She was cut off by Hamu's loud roar. "I don't BELIEVE I asked for your opinion. Be quiet and keep the rest moving, as I BELIEVE that is YOUR duty."

She gave a low growl but said nothing. For the rest of the journey to Pride Rock, there were no sounds except that of paws treading the cracked, dry ground.

Near the base of the massive rocks, they were met by – what Asali thought – was a strange group of animals. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her. There seemed to be a old baboon with a staff conversing with a small purple-feathered red hornbill. With them was a very old lion who did not look very pleased as the group came closer. His white-streaked jaw stuck at disapprovingly and his brown eyes were filled with sadness.

"What is this, Hamu?" he asked indignantly.

For the first time the great lion looked genuinely nervous. "Well, sire. Although we did not find any water or food, we did manage to acquire some more…help."

"Yes I am sure that was your intention. Zuzu will you please inform Uru that she and her hunting party will need to obtain more than usual?" The old lion said.

"As you wish, King Ahadi," the bird replied. "I am much too old for this. I cannot wait for my son, Zazu, to take over." She muttered as she flew off.

"I should go fetch my medicines," the baboon said as he looked at Maua who had been placed on a patch of dried grass. "It seems I will have lots of healing to do."

"Very well, Rafiki." Ahadi then addressed the lionesses. "To be honest, your presence will make things here more difficult, but I will not turn you away as that is not the way of the Pridelanders. However, if you are to remain on the land you must obey my orders and pull your weight. Are there any objections?"

The lionesses nodded. No one had the energy to argue.

"Mwiba will show you towards were you will sleep. You will need all the rest you can get if you are to participate in the hunt tomorrow." He then looked to Hamu. "I will deal with you later."

_If they are so hungry why don't they just eat that monkey and bird_? she thought angrily as her stomach let out another growl. Normally it would have been difficult to sleep without her mother, but she was too exhausted to stay awake for very long. The last thing she remembered doing was looking up and the stars and wishing she could join her father.

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Feel free to PM me any questions! ;)

Name Meanings (according to Google Translate)

Mwiba = Thorn

Mfuasi = Follower

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	4. Abandonment

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. I ****DO**** OWN **_Asali (young Zira), Hamu, Maua, and Shujaa_

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The next few weeks had been some of the worst in her life. Not only were the "Pridelanders" - as they called themselves – less than civil with her pride (whom they deemed "Outsiders"), the quality of life was horribly dull. Since only the most skilled lionesses were permitted to hunt, as no prey could afford to be lost, most of them were left inside the massive cavern. The stuffiness and cramped feeling of being indoors was making her feel terribly irritated.

She was also feeling betrayed by her mother. Maua had since moved up in the hierarchy in this mixed pride and had somewhat forgotten her daughter. Much to the disappointment and malice of many of his "girls", Hamu had chosen her to be his second mate. The first being a beautiful lioness with fur the color of pale sand and eyes as green as spring grass. Her name was Sarafina; she seemed young and was clearly intimidated by the older and equally beautiful Maua.

Although like the other Outsiders, her appearance was at first somewhat homely, the sudden regular availability of food and water had caused dramatic changes. Her eyes were now bright and shown a brilliant sky blue, and her fur was now sleek earth tan and free of bare patches. The three brown stripes that started on her head and trailed down her back only made her seem ever more like exotic royalty. This and the fact she was now Hamu's mate made her one of them. The Pridelander lionesses from then on swarmed around her as if they had been friends since cubhood.

It was then clear to Asali that she would be alone in this new land, without the guidance of her mother; who had forgotten her so easily and was now with the same creature who had killed Shujaa. It was yet another incident that continued to fuel the flames of hate within her heart.

Just as the rains had begun to return, the Pridelander king Ahadi had died. It had not been a sudden death. He had gotten ill and despite the constant treatment of Rafiki, he had not recovered. Most likely due to his old age. The now lush and rich Serengeti was darkened by the moods of sorrowful Pridelanders. To her it had only seemed fair. Now they had lost a king as well.

Even though the rainstorms had put an end to the food/water problem, the pride was now in turmoil as to who the new king would be. Most argued that Mufasa, the true son of Ahadi, should be king, although others desputed that it should be Hamu, his half brother. She had seen both roaming the lionesses part of the den occasionally, but nothing was very impressive about Mufasa. And she would never support the monster that had murdered her father. However, Asali had heard of a third sibling, though he was rarely mentioned by the gossiping lionesses; the main source of her information in the confusing and alien environment. Apparently his name was Taka, although he was now calling himself "Scar" after an injury disfigured his face some time ago.

This whole mystique made him intruiging to her, unlike the dull perfection of Mufasa and the lusty nature of Hamu. _Perhaps he should be king, _she thought to herself. From that point forward she was resolved to meet him. Yet she was fully stumped as to where to start looking on her own. She realized that she would have to intergrate with the Pridelanders in order to achieve her goal of finding the elusive lion.

She decided that she would first observe. One of the first things she saw was that these lionesses took a great deal of importance in their appearance. Some bathed daily, but almost all spent non-hunting hours grooming themselves from head to paws to tail. A few even formed grooming circles of four to five members. The whole thing seemed excessive to her in a way that made her uncomfortable, but if she was to fit in she would have to mimic this behavior.

Another thing she noticed as she skulked around the lionesses, was their way of fighting. Back at her old home, if two lions had had a conflict they would swipe, bite or claw at one another. Within moments the victor was known, the matter was settled, and by the next day things would go back to normal. However, with these Pridelanders it seemed the way to victory was done through speech and manipulation. If one wanted to get revenge or the upper hand, a simple rumor could be spread easier and faster than wildfire. This damage could be done back again and again causing a large web of such confusion that no winner would be easily decided.

She knew it would probably be hard for her. She had known only honesty and confrontation her entire life. It looked impossible to learn this way of being tricky so quickly. To her surprise it was actually quite easy. And very enjoyable.

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Fun Fact:

Taka means "want" in Swahili which sort of makes sense since he wants his brother's throne. But it can also mean "dirt" and "trash"; who'd name their kid that?

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	5. Curiosity

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. I ****DO**** OWN **_Hamu, Maua, and Neema_

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Her unexpected transformation seemed to surprise the Pridelander lionesses, but they did not seem suspicious. Although first impressions of them were cold and guarded they almost immediately accepted her. She credited this to her unintimidating experience. Appearance-wise, anyway. True she shared the physical characteristics of Maua: tan fur, lean stature and even a brown stripe. However, even for an adolescent still developing, her proportions were exaggerated and did not seem – in the opinion of the lionesses - natural. She was very thin and bony, despite getting adequate food. Her chin stuck out sharply and she seemed incapable of making soft expressions due to her permanent bloodshot, narrow eyes. She remembered looking at a reflection in the watering hole once and thinking how she looked like some twisted shadow of her beautiful mother.

She had shaken her head free of these foolish thoughts and turned her attention to the mission at hand. The current hot-topic of who should rule was putting excessive strain on the girls. They were torn with their own opinions of who was more capable and, of course, who would make a better mate for strong cubs.

She tried not to snort too loudly in disgust when Mufasa was mentioned. He was only a bit less arrogant than Hamu with his charming smile and charismatic personality. At least he was faithful to one lioness, as far as she knew, Sarabi. She was beautiful, of course, but actually seemed intelligent with those wise eyes – despite her young age. And whenever rule by Hamu was mentioned, she had to bite her tongue to restrain a ferocious growl.

Still, a many great number of lionesses were undecided about it and were fine with the current ruler: Uru. However, she seemed to be going the path of Ahadi and was already showing signs of impending death. It was during the aftermath that event, the pride would be most vulnerable to influence. She found herself grinning in anticipation. Not only would she find out more about this "Scar", if she could she would see him to the throne.

"Hey Zira…" One lionesses said cautiously; as if afraid of her rare sign of happiness. "What's got you so...joyful?"

She was still getting used to her new name, even though she had picked it herself. She was no longer the daughter of Maua, the lover of that despicable Hamu. She was Zira, the Outsider, and if she played her cards right, the new queen of this pathetic group of cats.

She sighed. Maybe it was too ambitious of her to think such thoughts. It had been three months since she'd started talking with the lionesses and all that had come of it was a short backstory about the origin of his scar and a quick glimpse of him one day at the peak of Pride Rock. He had been just as she'd imagined: brooding, mysterious and with an aura of dangerous power. With his black mane, clay-colored fur, and piercing green eyes he was the exact opposite of his brother in appearance. The thought of him was enough to make her shudder.

So far, the only one really on her side was impressionable Neema. She was a around her age but seemed younger due to her naivety and unending optimism. Both of these qualities were trying of Zira's nerves, but the girl was already loyal and was willing to help her cause.

"I was just thinking," She replied sharply.

"Of HIM?" Neema asked stifling a giggle.

"Oh, quit it," Zira said annoyed, but she couldn't fully hide a small smile from breaking free. This, of course, led to Neema exploding in a fit of laughter. Reluctantly, she eventually joined in. She couldn't remember the last time she had. But as the sun set into the horizon with its red and orange hues, she knew it was time to finally do it. She was finally going to meet Scar.

She could feel her muscles tense and her heartbeat quicken as she went the place where Scar was said to reside at night. He had been said to prefer to sleep separately from pride since the incident involving his scar. For Zira, this just made him seem more like they were meant to be. She had often been meaning to get out of Pride Rock aside from hunting practice, but the idea of sleeping somewhere outside all alone was well… downright scary for a young lioness.

Before she was about to reach the modest shelter, a small lean-to-like structure made of rock, she was stopped cold in her tracks by a most disgusting, dangerous scent. It was like death and rotten meat together mixed along with the stench of habitual uncleanliness. It was the unmistakable smell of hyenas. She immediately retreated behind nearby bushes and looked around in terror.

On a one-to-one fight, a lion would most likely win (if they managed to evade the bone-crushing jaws), but hyenas NEVER traveled alone and ALWAYS fought dirty. In any case, she wasn't about to confront them, but she wondered why she would be smelling hyenas so close to the Pridelands. Weren't they forbidden to leave the Elephant Graveyard? She became dead still once she finally saw not one – but three of them come into view. With them was the lion she had been waiting for, Scar. Zira wanted to run off so badly but could not risk being seen. As long as the wind didn't shift direction, her scent could remain hidden.

"Now why did you drag us all the way out here, Scar?" A young female asked indignantly. "I was about to start a hunt!"

"Yeah you know if the other lions catch us out here we're dead!" The male added. The third hyena nodded his head violently in agreement with his tongue hanging stupidly out.

Scar merely rolled his eyes and mumbled what sounded like a curse. "Now, now my filthy canine companions. Is that how you address someone who is about to feed you?" From out behind him he retrieved a leg of what was a small antelope, perhaps a calf. This was prohibited by the Pridelander hunters. The three hyenas eyed it greedily; within seconds the leg was merely bone.

"Now Shenzi, how is the pack integration coming along?" He asked the female.

"Fine. We still have a few more lone packs to…convince. However," she continued. "They aren't going to be fed on promises for long, Scar. They are giving you five wet seasons to fulfill your end of the agreement. If you don't, THEY WILL come for blood."

Scar's eyes flashed in anger for a moment, but quickly regained his neutral appearance. He then dismissed the hyenas with a look of disdain, and went into his small dwelling.

Zira's mind was racing and her heart was pounding. She may not have understood what everything meant, but she knew that it was up to no good. Parts of her were intruiged and repulsed and she was confused as to what to do. _ Stop it, Zira, _she thought_. We must be strong._

She checked to see if the coast was clear. When there was no one to be seen, she began to creep out from behind the bush. Unable to restrain her anxiety any longer, she quickly turned and tried to run off. She immediately was halted by a large, intimidating figure with piercing green eyes.

"Oh darling, didn't you know what curiosity did the cat?"

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Feel free to PM me any questions! ;)

Please Review : )

Name Meanings:

Zira = Hate

Neema = Grace

Shenzi = Barbarous/ Savage


	6. Disillusion

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. I ****DO**** OWN **_Hamu, Maua, and Neema_

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Zira tried to run but her legs would not obey. She could only stare in shock at the second true prince. It seemed a millennium until she gained enough control over her body to creep slowly away. But he only moved closer.

"What's the matter?" He asked with a sinister grin. "Cat got your tongue?"

Just like that, all of her bravado vanished. Like some rogue trying to appease a potential pride leader into not killing them, she flattened her ears and body to the ground trying to make herself appear as small as possible. She may have been young, but she was expected to show respect to the royal family. And spying on them was certainly not respect. "My lord, Scar. Please forgive me. I was simply trying to – "

She was interrupted by a rather large snort of laughter from him. He began to walk back towards his den, but not before letting out a condescending remark. "Just like a peasant _Outsider_ to grovel at anyone with a title. As if someone like YOU would be able to stop my plans."

Zira stood there for a moment on the cool starlit night in disbelief. Her mind was full of feelings that were a mix of disillusion and anger. Had this been the king she had willing to serve under? Then, as if possessed by some raging spirit, she gave a roar – the first in her life – and jumped in front of Scar.

He seemed startled for a second, but went back to his usual face of neutrality as Zira began to rant. She was seething and even managed to hiss during her speech.

"How DARE you dismiss me as if I am one of your servants! I am no member of this travesty of a pride! I have no family here! And I will NEVER again dare to submit myself to someone as pompous as this _royal _(she could feel herself spit the word) family! ESPECIALLY YOU!" She then fell silent in order to catch her breath. All the while staring at him with such fury her vision became almost as red as her eyes.

_ Though Scar was sure his face hid any emotion, inside he was filled with new curiosity, respect and could that be fear? at the raging lioness. There was nothing aesthetically pleasing about her. (To be truthful with her flattened ears, angry red eyes and fangs she looked rabid.) But if he only worked with those he found beautiful, he would not be working with the hyenas. _

_ Would he want to work with her? Train her? Perhaps, he mused, she would be a greater asset to the cause. He knew he would need to convince a majority of lionesses to win over power. And then there was the issue of having an heir to succeed him if he did manage to obtain the throne. Still he would have liked someone prettier for that job…_

After a long silent period of Scar staring at her blankly, Zira decided to walk back to the lioness den at Pride Rock. She found it empty, which she found odd. However, she was still fuming and was a little sick her stomach so she appreciated the quiet no matter the reason. She wondered whether she would be in trouble after her 'tantrum'. But then she decided she didn't care. If they wanted to banish her they could. _It's not as if there is a reason to remain here now_, she thought bitterly.

As she continued to stew in her cynical thoughts, Neema suddenly ran in with tears streaming down her amber muzzle. She was shortly followed by the rest of the lioness population, who seemed to share her sadness. They quietly took their usual places in the den. Some of them sobbed outright, while others closed their eyes and simply allowed their tears to flow.

"Oh Zira! It's so horrible!" She buried her head into Zira's side, as a young cub would to a mother.

She had the urge to snap at her but didn't. She couldn't afford another enemy. Reluctantly, she asked, "Uh… What's wrong Neema?"

"What's wrong?" Another lioness asked mimicking. Zira looked up to see that is was Mwiba. She rolled her eyes and put her head down, trying her best to block her out. "I'll tell you what's wrong! You are!"

"Mwiba…" her sister Mfuasi said cautiously. "Do you really think it is the appropriate time for this?"

"No she needs to hear this!" Mwiba growled. "You want to know what's wrong? You. You are what's wrong! Our queen Uru has died. You know; the one who convinced Ahadi to take your Outsider pride in! Feed you! Give you shelter! Do you even show up to her last moments to show your gratitude? No. All you can do is mope in this cave about how sad your dismal life is!"

_So that's what happened, _she thought. _I figured this would happen soon enough. _Knowing she wouldn't be able to get enough peace to think or sleep in the den, she began to head outside. Even yards away from the cave, Mwiba continued to follow and insult her.

"Do you honestly think I'm letting you go that easy? You pathetic, plotting and traitorous – "

Zira turned around to see Hamu smack the offensive lioness on the snout. Hard. "That is quite enough you bitter jackal! How dare you insult the daughter of my mate?"

Behind Hamu stood a nervous Maua. Had she been the one to call him? Zira didn't know whether to be thankful or disgusted at being treated like a defenseless kit.

"Your highness, please forgive me…"

"Just get out of my sight!" Within moments, Mwiba had scamped away with her tail between her legs.

Zira continued to walk on. Now she was definitely sure she could not go back to the den. "I didn't need you to intervene."

Hamu snarled. "How about showing a bit of gratitude, brat?" However, he was silenced as Maua shook her head. There was true sadness in her sky-blue eyes, but it did not make Zira feel any sympathy. She continued on for what seemed like an hour, thinking, until exhaustion made her rest. She took refuge underneath a tremendous baobab tree and feel asleep, wondering what her future would hold.

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Feel free to PM me any questions! ;)

Please Review : )


	7. Wonder

**Sorry for the wait guys! Hope you like it! I'll try to update as much as possible! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. I ****DO**** OWN **_Hamu, Maua, and Neema_

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Zira woke up just right before dawn. There was some pink light at the horizon, but most of the stars were still visible in the sky. She was annoyed at the amount of dew on her fur and the surrounding grass. Within a few meters of walking she was drenched from the top of her legs to her paws. She hoped the sun would rise soon. She was already starting to shiver from cold.

Then, as to make matters more uncomfortable, her stomach began to growl loudly and painfully. _That's right_, she thought, _I didn't even get to eat dinner last night_. She was beginning to regret the decision to not go see Uru when the lionesses had been summoned by that pesky new hornbill servant. (Zazu she believed it was.) Zira had told Neema she'd meet her later, after seeing Scar, but as her spying had become hiding she'd forgotten the whole thing. As it turned out he'd been an entire waste of her time and interest.

She wasn't a Pridelander, she wasn't Maua's daughter and now she couldn't even say she was Scar's supporter. Had it been yesterday, she would have proudly proclaimed she was an Outsider. But was that was the only thing she ever wanted to be? She didn't know anymore. As she walked through the featureless prairie, she realized she was completely lost – both figuratively and literally.

Zira had thought she'd been following the path they'd taken the first time she arrived at Pride Rock, but as she looked around nothing seemed familiar at all. Why hadn't she been more observant? She tried to continue to walk in a different direction. Then another. And another. The sun was midway in the sky when she saw a large tree in the distance. Hurriedly, she ran towards it, thinking that by climbing it she could then judge how far she had traveled.

To her horror, she saw that it was the exact same tree that she had left this morning. Somehow she had managed to waste half a day walking around in a giant circle. Utterly exhausted in the baking noon heat, she lay down under the shade and rested, frustrated at how unfair her life was. Then she felt annoyed with herself for being so pathetic and full of self-pity. The lack of water, food and current heat wave was beginning to make her crazy. She decided to sleep until the sun set. She knew that sometimes the most successful hunts were done in the cover of darkness. While most animals were near blind in the dark, lion's eyes were still able to see. Also, it was just too hot to do anything physically demanding.

When Zira awoke again she began to pace back and forth within the vicinity of the tree. She began to mutter to herself about what she should do now, if anything. Should she go forward and probably die of dehydration and starvation? Or should she go back and apologize? Both seemed equally distasteful. _Although dying sounds like the more enjoyable route, _she thought to herself cynically.

Frustrated, she kicked a rock and growled, "Where in the bloody Serengeti am I?" Giving up for the time being, she had laid back down in the tall grass and put her paws over her head. "Who am I?..."

Suddenly a creature jumped out of nearby grass and bonked her on the head with a stick. "You are a lioness! Or have you forgotten?" It shouted playfully as it cackled in laughter.

The shock had made her yelp in terror and had nearly given her a heart attack. Taking a moment to recover, she swiped at the baboon. It effortlessly avoided the attack and jumped on one of the lower tree branches, and continued to laugh crazily. She was furious that she had been scared so easily - epecially by what she now knew was that senile Rafiki. He wasn't around Pride Rock often, unless someone was ill, but he usually hung closely to Mufasa now that Ahadi was gone. That was enough to make him an enemy.

"Go away!" she shouted angrily as she swiped at the monkey again. He dodged the attack again and swung his staff. Anticipating this, she dodged and took a hold of the stick, snapped it in two with her powerful jaws and threw the pieces aside. "There. Now we can fight evenly," she said grinning. There was nothing like fighting to satisfy a bad mood. She braced herself as the baboon launched itself towards her.

But instead of making a hit, he simply bounced off her back and picked up the pieces of his staff. "Tsk tsk. You, young lioness, are filled with the fire of hate," he said solemnly while pointing a piece at her. "Now look at what Rafiki must do."

Zira scoffed at first, still ready to fight, but watched dumbfounded as the old baboon held the pieces together in the middle of his hands. He began to chant. He then turned around and chanted faster and with greater intensity. He suddenly stopped. When he faced forward again, he opened his hands to reveal that the staff was in one piece. It was as if it had never been broken. She retreated a few steps, wondering what the monkey would do now. _He really does have power, _she thought in horror.

Rafiki began to cackle again at Zira's expression of astonishment. He leaped into the tree branches again with the agility of someone half his age. Before he entered a hollow at the center of a tree, he turned back one last time. His serious yet sad face was forever burned into her mind as he said, "Remember young lioness, you are what you choose to be." And with that he was gone.

Not knowing what to make of this she said nothing. She began to walk away, feeling that this place was sacred. She might never know the mystery of this tree and that baboon, but she knew one thing. She would never underestimate him again. Trying not to look back, she began to stalk what she hoped was her next meal.

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	8. Beginning

**Sorry for the wait guys! Hope you like it! I'll try to update as much as possible! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. **

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Zira snarled in frustration as another wild rabbit got away from her grasp. She was too tired to catch anything at this point yet she needed to eat in order to have any energy to hunt. This was pointless; she needed to go back to Pride Rock. As much as she hated the lions there, they were good hunters and always had a nice reserve of meat.

After a few steps forward, she caught the scent of another prey animal. She inched closer and did not make a sound. Slowly she moved close enough to see it was a fat rock hyrax, and it was injured. The fates had seemed to throw her a bone. There would be no need to go crawling back if she got this. Grinning in anticipation she finally pounced. Zira could see the whites of the hyrax's horrified as she outstretched her claws.

Suddenly, a dark figure shot across in front of her, knocking her away. She was sent flying but managed to land on her feet and charge with a furious roar towards the fool who had interrupted her hunt.

"Oh I'm sorry, my dear. Where you hunting that?" the scarred lion asked. His voice was innocent but his eyes were full of mischief.

"Scar! You conniving jackal! You knew full well I was in the middle of hunting! You are nothing but a prey thief" She yelled at his face, only a few inches from his snout. Most lions would have at least felt embarrassed to be called that. It showed no honor or civility. Only pathetic rouge lions did that. The only thing worse a lion could do was scavenge. Not even her old pride had done that even when facing starvation.

Scar simply grinned showing his white razor-like fangs. "The way I see it, everything in this land belongs to me. So technically, you were the thief, not me. I was simply getting what was rightfully mine." He then proceeded to lick his claws and clean his red muzzle with his paw.

"You are a vulture!" Zira spat. She had had enough of this arrogant cat. She began her way to Pride Rock. At least there they had the decency to let her eat. And when she had gotten enough food and directions to another land she would leave. That was the smart thing to do.

"You aren't going back there are you, kitten?" Scar asked following her.

"Leave me alone." She said unenthusiastically. Zira had no energy left for insults but added, "It's better than having my meals stolen."

"Oh come on. I was only teasing you." He said grinning again. "Besides, you don't really want to go back to that prissy, over groomed lot. It's not like they are that pleasant to you are they?"

"Because you have been so gracious to me, right?" she said saracastically with a snort. "Just go away."

"I'm about to be." Scar said mysteriously. "What if I were to tell you I had access to the cooled meat reserve under Pride Rock?"

Zira continued stubbornly, but as her stomach began its long growl she stopped.

"You know you need food, kitten."

She stayed silent for a period and then faced him. "You better not be lying about this, thief."

Scar laughed triumphantly and together they began to trot towards the east side of Pride Rock.

It seemed only like a big pile of rocks, but Scar was not fooled. He honed in on one particular odd shaped stone and pushed it aside revealing a small dark entrance. The smell of fresh meat began to pour out. _So he wasn't lying_, Zira thought with relief. Part of her still wanted to believe in him, she realized with surprise.

The doorway was small but they were both of slender build and passed through almost effortlessly. She expected complete darkness but was taken aback at the ceiling and walls. The cool cavern was embedded with cerulean stones that gave off a dim light. They were beautiful.

"What are they?" she asked with her jaw dropped.

"I have no idea. But they've always been here. They say that they are what keeps this land so prosperous. Legends say that when they cease to glow, the Pridelands will return to what the rest of this land is - a lifeless desert." Scar answered. "Bah. It's all a bunch of myths anyway. As far as I'm concerned they are a good way to light this place."

Meanwhile, Zira had begun to feast on an antelope carcass. It was still as fresh as if it had been killed an hour ago. She wondered what other secrets this rock held. Scar sat nearby grinning again. He was sure that this cat was his way to victory.

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	9. Plots

**Wow guys it's been nearly six months. I've been busy and I forgot the absolute fun writing this was. Please enjoy this. It's about to get interesting.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. **

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A two years had passed since that fateful night with Scar. Ever since that night she had known that their fates were tied together. Zira knew that from that point on she would be faithful in anything he'd have her do. It wasn't long before the plans Scar had for them and the entire Pridelands came into play.

Scar began to increase in intensity his fervent plotting to take the throne. At the moment he was working on a plot to get rid of Hamu, but he was having a rough time figuring out a way to make him go away. Hamu would be first, and then his brother Mufasa. But ever since the death of Ahadi, Hamu had been taking extra care to stay safe from potential challenges for pride rule. It was lion law that two males who encountered each other in the field could fight for kingship. While Mufasa was strong and ready to battle, Hamu was less eager. He might have taken down Shujaa and other weak lions with ease, but in truth Hamu was a lover not a fighter. So to avoid any conflict he spent most days hiding in his chamber with Maua. (Much to the annoyance of Sarafina – whom he'd been ignoring after a few suspicious nights alone.) But he saved face with the excuse of taking care of the ailing Maua. This was true as far as Zira knew, but she wasn't very sympathetic. She hadn't spoken to her for two years and was still spitefull for being abandoned.

It was almost the beginning of the wet season of her third year. She was technically an adult lioness. And like all lionesses during this time she began to think upon the subject which was foreign yet fascinating to her – mating. However, Zira wouldn't be able to of course. None of them would except the new king and queen. Still it didn't stop her from thinking about it from time to time. She was sunbathing on a rock alone and curling and uncurling her tail, pondering what it might be like.

"It's time."

She nearly choked on her own spit as she manage to hack out, "What?!"

Scar gave her a rare puzzled look and sat down beside her in the tall grass, hidden from view. "Don't be so loud. It's not flattering." He changed to whispering as two other lionesses passed by. "It's time to set the plan in motion. Hamu is outside by the watering hole. Get Neema and meet me by the tall rocks."

"Yes, of course." Zira managed to say as she recovered from her shock.

"Good." He began to slink away but then stopped. Scar turned back his head and said with a grin, "If this goes according to plan, it may be time for_**that **_too." He gave a final wink and disappeared among the tall amber blades.

Zira felt her pounding heart skip a beat and her hair suddenly stand on end. Maybe it wouldn't be very long until she found out after all.

Neema had long since lost her naiveté. With Zira she had trained to become a lying, manipulative potential killer under the direction of Scar. However, she managed to continue under the illusion that she was still the same overgrown kitten towards everyone in the pride. She had also become a beautiful young lioness with golden amber fur and a full frame. And these things, she would use today to her ultimate advantage.

Hamu, aside from being a lover, prided himself on being a protector of the weak. In truth, as Zira knew most certainly, it was only another way to make himself more attractive and give him glory. He was taking a drink from the watering hole. If he had had a way to get drink to his chamber it was doubtful he would ever leave Pride Rock. This was his weak point and Scar intended to capitalize it for all it was worth. As the sun soared high into the sky, Scar gave a low whistle. It was time to act.

"Oh Hamu! Oh Hamu come quick something awful has happened!" Neema ran up to him and lay on the ground like a pathetic cub.

"What is it you lovely kitten?" Hamu purred. Zira suddenly felt disgusted and a bit nauseous. She also saw Scar roll his eyes.

"There's a jackal behind those rocks that stole my kill!" She cried. _She was good_, Zira thought. "Please, if you would retrieve it I would be so grateful! Very grateful…" She added with a coy smile. _She was __**really **__good. _Zira couldn't have believed the formerly sweet cub had pulled off such role. But it worked like a charm. Hamu could never resist such a temptation.

Puffing out his broad chest, he began to stalk over towards the rocks.

"Get ready!" Scar whispered harshly. Together they began to push on a large boulder directly over where Hamu would come.

"Don't worry my sweet kitten. I'll get it quickly. And then perhaps we can go for a nice long walk. Alone." He was grinning hugely as he hurried over behind the rocks. It made Zira sick.

"I'll be waiting," Neema replied as she batted her long lashes.

It would be last thing Hamu ever heard.

With a thundering crash, the boulder crushed the gold-furred lover and sent down a rain of smaller rocks. In moments, Hamu 's lifeless body was buried in rubble. The deed was done.

As Neema went to go get the Pridelanders for 'help', Scar and Zira disappeared. They had to get ready for the next phase of their plans. Right now they had a lot of work to do.

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	10. Future

**I was going to wait until I had more but I'd rather just write more later. Please enjoy! **

**DISCLAIMER: I DO ****NOT**** OWN THE LION KING FRANCHISE. **

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Maua had passed a week after hearing of Hamu's death. Apparently, on her side at least, her love for Hamu had been real. It was the only reason she had continued to live on despite her grave illness. But in the end, without the comfort of her only source of care, she hadn't been able to make. Some blamed Zira for not giving her any affection throughout it all. She hadn't seen the need to; she hadn't been her daughter for a long time. This only gave more reason for her enemies to hate her, but she didn't care – it was the truth.

The pride's morale was at an all time low. Two deaths so soon together was bad enough. But a great many had loved both of them and were truly sorrowful to see them go.

"Are you sad, Zira like the rest of these groveling fools?" Scar asked irritated at the view. They were both perched at the edge of Pride Rock's cliff while the rest gathered below to mourn the loss at a ceremony.

"Not at all," she replied in an emotionless voice. "I see no purpose in being sad when nothing valuable has been lost."

"Indeed," he said approvingly. He gave a slight chuckle. "My darling, Zira, you are the only one whose got their wits around here." He got up and began to go inside. He would need to disappear before the others returned. Zazu would no doubt reprimand him once again for missing such an important event. "You will make me an excellent queen."

Zira grinned showing off her large fangs. Yes, she would. And nothing or nobody was going to get in her way.

As the middle of the wet season came, the bellies of two lionesses swelled with the unmistakable mark of pregnancy. Sarabi and Sarafina were both with cub and tensions were rising. Now that Mufasa was in charge (as had been ordered by Uru before she returned to her ancestral lands to pass away – a tradition done by her particular kind), there would be no room for potential rivals.

It was almost comical, Zira thought to herself cynically. The incidence of the close pregnancies meant that neither of the two males had been able to resist mating during the beginning of the wet season. And now the lives of Sarafina's future cubs were at the mercy of Mufasa. It was considered a sign of weakness to let the offspring of rivals live, but as Sarafina was a close friend of Sarabi, there was no telling what would happen. Sarafina herself was nearly hysterical with panic. Hamu's death had taken its toll and she'd announced that she'd rather die than give up the offspring of her lover. She hid herself away in Pride Rock's deepest chambers and refused to see anyone but Sarabi. The paranoia was setting in even though it would be a while until her cubs were born.

"What do you think will happen, Scar?" she asked absent-mindedly.

"Nothing that we won't have control over." He replied. "In a few months we will need to talk about a few things. And the hyenas are getting impatient. We'll need to work quickly once the little furballs are born."

_A few things?_ Could that mean what she thought it meant? Zira was anxious at the thought of having 'little furballs' of her own. But she was more than eager to become a queen. She would finally have her power and she would be with Scar. "What do we do now?"

_ "_We wait."

The future couldn't seem to come quickly enough.

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